October The Twenty-Fifth

O THOU Hope of all holy and humble men of heart, and the Saviour of them that trust in Thee in time of trouble, give us not over as captives, in spiritual chains; but recover us, that we may awake to do Thy will. Lord, Thou knowest all our desire, and our secret sighing is not hidden from Thee. Into Thy hands I commend my soul and my prayer; give what Thou seest fit, and fit us for what Thou givest. Give us wisdom to abound, or patience to suffer need; and where the Master placed us, there to be content. Let all our work be done well before we come to die; and let us be gathered into Thine arms, as the harvesters gather a shock in full season. Let our death be happy; and our happiness beyond the power of death - Amen.

-- ROWLAND WILLIAMS (words in bold type by blog author) Life magazine archive image of a mother and her sleeping child taken by unknown Victorian photographer in 1855